Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« on: July 28, 2010, 03:53:58 PM »

I am still excited. I noticed that one of my goldfishes, oranda Hose behaved himself in strangely manner. He drifted with his tail up on the bottom of the tank... And then I saw a black gravel stone stuck in his mouth!!! Jesus! Poor guy sucked a stone and was choking... I caught the sillyboy out of the tank and using toothpick picked the stone out. Hope I have not injured his jaws. Half an hour passed and the guy seems ok.So - did I make a mistake filling the tank with fine gravel! The same gravel was in all tanks at Petco.

Re: Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« Reply #1 on: July 29, 2010, 12:33:12 AM »

Sunshine was choking last night too!!!! Scared the poo out of me I was feeding him these frozen goldfish cubes which I always cuts bits off for her because the cubes are much too big for one goldfish. I must have cut one up a bit too big and she was sitting there doing the whole lip action where a fish is eating for ages but in a distressed way and was just floating at the bottom of the tank for ages. I didn't know what to do and eventually he sort of regurgitated some of it and was fine.Glad your fish is doing ok and I bet he'll be fine from now on How fine is the gravel we are talking about? I'm not sure as I imagine they are designed for fish so nothing should be too harmful. But maybe we should all be wary in the future and buy as big gravel as possible. Oh and cut up the food smaller because of greedy goldfish

Re: Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« Reply #2 on: July 29, 2010, 10:16:38 AM »

Glad your Sunshine is okey too. The gravel I put into the tank is standard one which is on sale in Petco... Approximately 1/2 of an average pea. And the fishes use to suck it in and then realizing that it is not eatable spit it out. But this time the stone stuck.Now he is fine, eating and swimming normally. But should I be worried! What if this happened two weeks ago, when we were out for vocation?

Re: Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2010, 11:02:37 AM »

Goldfish shouldn't have fine gravel in their tank, sand and the like should never be there! Try to keep gravel either in a size that the goldfish easily can spit out (About pea size) or coarse gravel that won't even fit into their mouths.

And one more thing, if it'd ever happen again, you should take a NOT SHARP object and gently push the rock out through the gill cover. If you want, you could add a small dose of melafix to prevent any bacterial infections in the mouth in case he got hurt

Re: Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« Reply #6 on: August 13, 2010, 02:43:05 AM »

Yep, through the gill That's what's recommended by a veterinarian in one of my books!And I do think it's reasonable since it'd probably be an easier way than starting to pick and pluck with it to get it back out through the mouth, when you can just push it out with a slight move of a wet q-tip

Re: Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2010, 03:58:13 AM »

A pea is, to me, a tad less dangerous than a rock Since the pea is kinda' soft and will eventually be chewed down (with the teeth goldies have in the back of their throat) But I would freak out too if it happened o_o

Re: Think twice before putting fine gravel into a tank. Or how I saved Hose!

« Reply #9 on: August 21, 2010, 12:29:08 PM »

None of my goldfish have ever choked on their gravel but it makes me wonder about the gravel i have. I bought my gravel from my local pet store so it should be ok i would think. Its smaller then a pea. My fish suck on it every once in a while but since my fish are bigger they should have no prob:) I have fantails by the way. Glad your fish is well!!